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Abraham was eighty six years old when
Ishmael was born (Genesis 16:16). When Abraham
reached ninety-nine years of age, Ishmael was thirteen
years old and remained the only son of Abraham. Now, God promises
to establish his covenant with all of Abraham's
"seed" without exception: "And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.."
Genesis 17:7-8.
God now informs Abraham that his covenant shall be
given through circumcision, so Abraham immediately circumcises
himself and Ishmael, the father of the Arabs (Genesis 17:23),
thus establishing God's covenant with Ishmael.
The significance of circumcision was also noted by
Biblical scholars as being not merely an external act: "This was His own sign and seal that Israel was a chosen people. Through it a man's life was linked with great fellowship whose dignity was it's high consciousness that it must fulfill the purpose of God"
Interpreter's Bible, p. 613
To this day, all Muslims practice circumcision. The
"sign and seal" (Romans 4:11) of the Abrahamic covenant.
We notice that God's covenant was
promised to be with Abraham's "seed."
But if we read Genesis 21:13 we will find that Ishmael
is Abraham's "seed":
"And also of the son of the bondwoman......he
is thy seed."
The same arguments can be made for God's covenant
with Abraham "the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates."
Genesis 15:18
As we can see, this covenant was intended
to be of the same generality as God's covenants with Noah (Genesis
9:8-17), and David (2 Samuel 7; 23:5). God's covenant was intended
to be a covenant with those who are obedient to Him and follow
his command, not a covenant that makes a certain group of people
genetically superior and closer to God even from before their
birth, such that they are his "chosen children," and
God's prophethood and message can only come from their lineage.
When Abraham reached one hundred years
of age, God blessed him with a second son, Isaac (Genesis
21:5). Isaac was born to him through his first wife, Sarah. The
Bible tells us that because of Sarah's jealousy that Ishmael
may inherit with her own son Isaac (Genesis 21:10), she had Abraham
cast out Hagar and Ishmael and send them to the wilderness
of "Paran" (genesis 21:21). We are told
that she was particularly angry with what she considered to be
a mockery on the part of Ishmael towards her own son Isaac. This
incident is alleged to have occurred after Isaac was weaned (remember
this) as narrated in Genesis 21:8.
Sarah now allegedly ordered Abraham
to cast Hagar and Ishmael out, (apparently,
in Abraham's tribe, children who mock their brothers and sisters
are to be thrown out in the nearest desert along with their mothers)
Abraham obeyed Sarah and cast the "bondwoman" and her
son in the desert and was blessed by God who told him to "hearken
unto her voice." Abraham gave Hagar provisions and water
and put her child "Ishmael" upon her shoulder and left
them in the wilderness of Beer Sheba in Southern Palestine. When
they ran out of water, an angel appeared and conveyed to her the
words of God: "Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in
thine hand; for I will make him a great nation." God
then showed her a well of water and they drank. Ishmael dwelt
in the wilderness of "Paran" and begat twelve
sons one of whom was called "Kedar." As
mentioned in 6.4, the Arabic form of the word Paran is
Faran or Pharan. It means "two who migrated."
It appears that the place took it's name from Hagar and Ishmael
who came there as two refugees.
We, as Muslims, have a very similar narration of
the same sequence of events in the Qur'an. However, in the Qur'an,
the details differ from the narration of the Old Testament. Muslims
respect Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Isaac,
and Ishmael (pbut) as very decent, moral and pious
people. Muslims believe that the prophet Abraham (pbuh) received
a revelation from God to take Hagar and her BABY,
Ishmael, to a barren desert in Northern Arabia (Paran),
more specifically to the future location of Makkah,
and to leave them there. When Abraham began to leave, Hagar called
out to him "where are you leaving us?" After repeating
the question three times she asked him "Did God command you
to do this?" Abraham answered "yes." So Hagar said:
"Then He will not forsake us." When Hagar and her baby
ran out of water she began to fear for her baby's life and took
to running back and forth between the two hills of "Al-Safa"
and "Al-Marwa" in search of water. Meanwhile, God sent
an angel who caused water to gush out of the earth for them. This
became the water of the well of "Zamzam"
which the pilgrims of Makkah drink from today. Once water was
found in this place the Bedouins began to settle there and it
became the city of Makkah. Centuries later, Muhammad (pbuh), the
prophet of Islam, was born to the descendants of Ishmael. The
rites of hastening between the two hills of "Al-Safa"
and "Al-Marwa" have been preserved in the Muslim's yearly
pilgrimage to Makkah even to this day.
The major differences in the Biblical and the Qur'anic
narrations are that the OT claim that Hagar was (originally)
left in Beer Sheba and not Paran as stated by the
Muslims, and that this occurred when Ishmael was
not a baby, but a fully grown teenager.
This Old Testament narration can be found to contain
obvious modifications from the following analysis: According to
the Bible, Abraham was eighty six years old when
Ishmael was born (Genesis 16:16). He was one hundred
years old when Isaac was born (Genesis 21:5). This
makes Ishmael fourteen years older than Isaac. The above expulsion
of Ishmael and his mother is alleged to have occurred after Isaac
was weaned (Genesis 21:8). Muslims wean their children after two
years. Biblical scholars tell us that babies were weaned about
the age of three. This makes Ishmael at least seventeen years
old at the time of the alleged mockery and expulsion. The profile
of Ishmael in Genesis 21:14-19 however, is one of a small baby
and not that of a full grown teenager of seventeen years. Let
us study it.
1) According to the New Revised Standard Version
of the Bible which was compiled from manuscripts more ancient
than those of the King James Version of the Bible, the verse of
Genesis 21:14 reads "..putting [it] on her shoulder, along
with the child." Did Abraham put a seventeen
year old boy on Hagar's shoulder? It would be more
logical for him to put Hagar on Ishmael's shoulder
if he were, as claimed, seventeen years old at the time. So Ishmael
must have been a baby at the time.
2) In Genesis 21:15 we read "and she cast
the child under one of the shrubs." Did Hagar
"cast" a seventeen year old teenager under a shrub?
This too is consistent with a baby and not a full-grown teenager.
3) We read in Genesis 21:16 that Hagar
sat far away from Ishmael so as not to see him die
before her own eyes. Is this the profile of a full-grown teenager
who should, more appropriately be worried about his mother or
of a helpless baby?
4) In Genesis 21:17 we read the angel's command to
Hagar: "Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him
in thine hand;" Who would be more capable of lifting
the other up, Hagar or her seventeen year old teenage son? This
too is the profile of a little baby.
5) Throughout this story we are drawn a picture of
Hagar doing this, and Hagar doing that, and Hagar
worrying, and Hagar weeping, and so on while Ishmael
sits where he was "cast," under the shrub. Would a full
grown teenager of seventeen sit under a shrub and wait for his
mother and himself to die while his mother looked for water for
him, or would he have her sit in the shade while he went in search
of water?
6) Even the angel did not address both of them but
only Hagar, the only one who would understand. Once
again the profile of a baby and not a seventeen year old teenager.
7) Ishmael is always referred to as
"the child" and "the lad" in the story. Do
people usually refer to seventeen year old teenagers as "child"
and "lad"?
8) In Genesis 21:20 we read that after
this incident, "God was with the lad; and he grew, and
dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer." Is this
a profile of a fully developed teenager or a child who is growing
up, learning, and developing?
The above analysis clearly exhibits evidence of human
modification to the text of this story. The claim that Ishmael
mocked Isaac and that this had anything to do with
Hagar's journey is an obvious fabrication since Isaac
was not even born yet when this story occurred (Ishmael was still
a baby). The reason for Hagar's journey was not Sarah's jealousy,
Ishmael's mockery, or the racial superiority of Sarah. It was
only the command of God, pure and simple. In an effort to keep
all prophets of God Israelites, even God himself is alleged to
have submitted to, and even blessed the alleged jealous whims
of Sarah. Further, if such elaborate additions to the story could
be inserted into the text, then how much simpler to change the
original journey to Paran to take a detour into Beer
Sheba.
The Interpreter's Bible compares the texts
of Genesis 21:14-19 with Genesis 16:1-16 and draws the following
conclusion:
"The inclusion in Genesis of both stories
so nearly alike and yet sufficiently different to be inconsistent,
is one of the many instances of the reluctance of the compilers
to sacrifice any of the traditions which has become established
in Israel."
As damaging and conclusive as this proof of the modification
of the Old Testament is, still, it pales to insignificance before
the much more devastating proof of this same fact to be found
in section 2.3.
Someone may now object: well then, the verses stating
Abraham's age must be the ones which have been (unintentionally)
modified. This is a valid theory, however, the problem with this
theory is that first of all, these numbers were spelled out
in letters and not written using numerals. Second, the transmitters
of the Old Testament (the Jews) claim that every word
and every letter was faithfully counted
and preserved and thus, they can confidently claim that it would
be impossible for unintentional errors to creep in, even by accident.
We also notice that even in the New Revised Standard
version of the Bible, Genesis 16:16 and 21:5 state the same ages
mentioned above. Is this not proof of the Qur'an's claim that
the previous books of God were tampered with by the hands of the
unscrupulous few?
It now becomes evident that sometime after God sent
down the Old Testament, someone decided that they did not want
the Arab descendants of Ishmael to be included in
God's covenant with Abraham. They
wanted it exclusive to the Jewish branch of his descendants. Therefore,
the Old Testament was "corrected" in order to show that
God's intent was that His covenant be with the Jews only.
Now that we see that the original covenant of God
was with all of the children of Abraham (pbuh) without exception,
then we are left with another question: The Bible describes in
great detail the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham through
Isaac which was fulfilled in Jacob, Joseph,
Moses, David, Solomon, and Jesus (pbut).
But what of his promise to Abraham through Ishmael?
God does not renege on his promises, so how was it fulfilled?
The Bible is, for the most part, silent about the promise to the
Ishmaelites. Why? Because just as Jesus (pbuh), during the time
of the Old Testament had not yet come and there were only prophesies
of his coming containing unmistakable signs but no detailed stories
of his life, in the same manner, both the Old and New Testament
contain unmistakable prophesies of Muhammad (pbuh) but no in-depth
analyses and stories. The Interpreter's Bible admits that
the Ishmaelites and other descendants of Abraham were "somehow
participating in the Abrahamic covenant"
(page 616). The coming of Muhammad (pbuh), the descendant of
Ishmael, is the fulfillment of this promise.
Some people will claim that even though Ishmael
was Abraham's "seed," still, "seed"
is a lesser designation than "son," and only Isaac
was Abraham's "son." However, the Bible also bears witness
to the fact that Ishmael was Abraham's "son": "And Abraham took Ishmael his son."
Genesis 17:23
Not only that, but the Bible tells us that Ishmael
remained the legitimate son of Abraham until even after his death,
"Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full [of years]; and was gathered to his people. And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah"
Genesis 25:8-9
So was Ishmael a lesser "son"
than Isaac because Isaac's mother was Abraham's
wife while Hagar was not? Once again, let us read
the Bible: "And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid....and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.."
Genesis 16:3
So the Bible also bears witness that Hagar was Abraham's
legitimate wife. In fact, if this were not the case then we would
be labeling prophet Abraham an adulterer. A serious accusation
indeed.
Once the legitimacy of Hagar as Abraham's
wife and Ishmael as his son has been established,
now the objection of many becomes that Isaac was a
better and truer son of Abraham because he was the
son of the free woman not the bondwoman. However, this
claim is not supported by the law of the Old Testament. According
to this law, the first born son was to have double portions
of honor, and even inheritance, and this right could not be affected
by the status of his mother. "If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, [both] the beloved and the hated; and [if] the firstborn son be hers that was hated: Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit [that] which he hath, [that] he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, [which is indeed] the firstborn: But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated [for] the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he [is] the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn [is] his."
Deuteronomy 21:15-17 In the same Interpreter's Bible we read the following comment on the above verses:
"However, the law of the first-born had ancient
sanction, and so long as it was accepted justice demanded that
mere favoritism not be allowed to deprive the eldest son of his
rights." The Dictionary of the Bible says: "However deeply rooted [polygany] was before the exile may be seen from the parable of Ezk. 23, which represents Yahweh as the husband of two wives. The law of Dt 21:15-17 which is parallel to several Mesopotamian laws, protects the 'hated' wife and her children especially if she has borne the firstborn son (hated here means less loved)..."
The Dictionary of the Bible, John McKenzie, S. J.,
Collier books, p. 549
Abraham was eighty six years old (Genesis 16:16)
when Ishmael was born and was one hundred years old (Genesis 21:5),
when he was blessed with a second son, Isaac (pbuh). So Isaac
was fourteen years younger than his older brother Ishmael, the
first-born son of Abraham.
It should further be noted here that a similar occurrence
is narrated in the Old Testament regarding a slave girl named
Ruth and a landowner named Boaz (Ruth, chapters 3 and
4). Ruth, a widowed slave girl, was married to Boaz and gave him
a son named Obed. Obed went on to become the founder
of the royal line of Jews who, according to the Old and New Testament,
were the ancestors of both King David and
Jesus Christ peace be upon them both (for example Matthew
1:5-16). Not only that, but according to the same Old Testament,
Ruth was a Moabitess (Ruth 2:2). Moabite women, according to the
Old Testament, were women used to lure Israelite men into immorality
and the worship of the pagan god Baal (for a related
story, please read section 5.2).
So, if a slave woman of a nation of such ill repute
among the Jews as the Moabites is given legitimacy among the Jews
and can even go on to become the ancestor and mother of their
greatest prophets and leaders and indeed Jesus Christ (pbuh) himself,
then why is a whole branch of prophet Abraham's
children cast off simply because their mother too was a slave
girl?
Further, it is well known that fully six of the tribes
of Israel trace their ancestry through the second wife of Jacob
(Israel), Rachel, and two of his concubines, Bilhah, and Zilpah.
Nowhere in the Bible is it mentioned that these six tribes are
disqualified from God's covenant simply because
their mother was the "second" wife of Jacob or one of
his concubines.
Jacob M. Myers, a professor at the Lutheran
Theological Seminary and a contributor to Interpreter's Dictionary
of the Bible, is a well recognized leading expert on the Old
Testament. In his book Invitation to The Old Testament
(pp. 26) he states the following regarding the Nuzi
laws of marriage of Abraham's (pbuh) time:
"Archaeological discoveries help us to fill
in the details of the biblical narrative and to explain many of
the otherwise obscure references and strange customs that were
commonplace in Abraham's world and
time...... A Nuzi marriage contract provides that
a childless wife may take a woman of the country and marry her
to her husband to obtain progeny But she may not drive out the
offspring even if she later has children of her own. The child
born of the handmaid has the same status as the one born to the
wife. That is why, when Sarah wanted to drive out Hagar
and Ishmael, it was quite objectionable to Abraham
-because of the legal custom of the religion from which he came,
he was reluctant to do so. It required a special divine dispensation
to act contrary to that custom." We have already seen
how the "special divine dispensation" was a forgery.
Further, while Ishmael was the first
begotten son of Abraham, we notice that Obed
was the tenth grandson of Abraham (The Old and New Testament
genealogies differ in the actual names). So, if Obed is given
such legitimacy in the Old Testament as being a legitimate father
in their most royal line, even though he is the son of a bondwoman,
then Ishamel's claim to this legitimacy is much older and more
pronounced.
Once Ishmael has been proven to be
a legitimate son of Abraham and not only equal to
Isaac, but according to the law of the Jews, deserving
of double the portion of honor and inheritance allotted to Isaac,
then the final objection becomes that Isaac was specifically chosen
to be the child of promise. In A Dictionary of Biblical tradition
in English literature, we read:
"St. Augustine, in De civitate Dei (15.2),
equates Ishmael "born in the course of nature," with
the flesh and Isaac, "born in fulfillment of a promise"
with the spirit. For Augustine, Ishmael exists outside the realm
of God's grace; for this reason, and because of their enforced
wanderings in the desert, he associates Ishmael and Hagar
with Cain."
As we have already seen, God's covenant
was with the "seed" of Abraham (pbuh),
among whom was Ishmael. Secondly, there are many
verses which specifically single out Ishmael for God's blessing.
After the birth of Ishmael and before the birth of Isaac,
God repeats his promise to Abraham to bless all the earth through
his progeny. "As for me, behold, my covenant [is] with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations."
Genesis 17:4 Also, "And also of the son of the bondwoman (Hagar) will I make a nation, because he [is] thy seed. ......... I will make him a great nation."
Genesis 21:13
So, not only is Ishmael a legitimate son of Abraham,
but God Almighty promised to bless Ishmael's descendants just
as he would in the future promise to bless Isaac's descendants.
Further, God's covenant of circumcision with Abraham was fulfilled
in Ishmael long before the birth of Isaac.
As has already been demonstrated in chapters one
and two, the Bible has been modified extensively over the ages
to the point that even conservative scholars now admit that it's
ancient copies contain many thousands of "variant readings"
between one-another. Many examples have been presented. As seen
in chapter two, thirty two conservative
Biblical scholars backed by fifty cooperating denominations bore
witness to the "many" and "serious" errors
contained in the current King James Bible. Even the original ancient
manuscripts themselves contain many differences and conflictions.
Whole passages show up in some "ancient manuscripts"
while being completely missing from older ones. Even geographical
locations are changed from one ancient copy to the next. All
Bibles in existence today are the result of very extensive cutting
and pasting from these various manuscripts with no single ancient
copy being the definitive reference. Even at that, all
Bibles in existence today still contain countless examples of
very serious contradictions of founding Christian doctrine (see
chapter two, and also chapter one).
In the Interpreter's Bible we read:
"Many Israelites did not want a God who would
be equally the God of all nations on the Earth. They did not want
one who would be impartial Holiness. They wanted a God who would
be partial to them. So we read in Deuteronomy of the demands for
a complete extermination of all non-Israelite people of Palestine
(Deuteronomy 7:2) and as to the carrying out of that injunction
read the harsh sentences of Deuteronomy 20:10-17."
Is it possible, in light of the overwhelming evidence
beginning to come to light of the modification of the Old Testament,
that the transmitters of this book (Genesis) made certain modifications
to favor their own people? We have already seen the evidence.
Such verses as Genesis 17:21 and Genesis 21:21 do
not exclude Ishmael from God's covenant
as some claim. The example of this is one who says: "I love
my parents" and then a few days later says "I love my
mother." Does this mean that he does not love his father?
Since God had already consecrated his covenant between Abraham
and his son Ishmael years before the birth of Isaac,
and Abraham had already circumcised Ishmael so that he might receive
God's covenant, therefore, it was necessary to reaffirm that Isaac
was not left out of this covenant even though it was established
after the birth of Ishmael but before his own birth.
Many people point to the verse of Genesis 22:2 as
proof that Isaac was the only legitimate son of Abraham.
We read: "And he (God) said, Take now thy son, thine only [son] Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of."
Genesis 22:2
What is going on here? On the one hand we have verses
such as Genesis 16:15, Genesis 17:23, Genesis 17:25, Genesis 17:26,
and Genesis 25:9...etc. which clearly confirm the fact that not
only was Ishmael the first born son of Abraham and
a legitimate son, but he remained so until the day Abraham
died and was buried. On the other hand we have Genesis 22:2
which claims that Isaac, Abraham's second son is the only son
of Abraham.
To understand this we need to go back to the Qur'anic
version of this story. In the Qur'an we are told that Abraham
(pbuh) was deprived children until his old age whereupon
he was given Ishmael, his first born son. Up until
this point the Qur'an and the Old Testament are in agreement.
It stands to reason that after having been deprived an heir for
so long Abraham would become extremely attached to his only begotten
son Ishmael. For all he knew then he very likely might not be
blessed with any more children before his death. We are now told
in the Qur'an that Allah (God) Almighty decided to test Abraham's
faith. He therefore decided to set up a test for Abraham in the
one thing which he held most dear to his heart in all of this
world: His only son. When Ishmael reached
the age of striving, God Almighty showed Abraham a vision wherein
he was to sacrifice his only son Ishmael to God. Abraham went
to Ishmael and asked his opinion on this matter. This was not
an attempt by Abraham to escape the command of God, but only an
attempt to better prepare his son. Ishmael replied to his father:
"O my father, Do as you are commanded. You shall, by Allah's
will, find me to be among the patient."
We are told that the devil then came to Abraham,
Hagar, and Ishmael in turn trying to
convince each one to disobey the command of Allah. Each one in
turn did not respond to him and cast stones at him till they drove
him away. This act is also preserved to this day in the Muslim
pilgrimage to Makkah in the symbolic
act of stoning the three pillars called the "jamarat."
Abraham took his son Ishmael
and placed him on the ground facing down so that he would not
have to look at him. Just when he was about to sacrifice Ishmael
God sent an angel to Abraham to stop him and to provide him with
a ram as an alternate sacrifice in place of his son as a reward
for his sincere intentions. He then further rewarded Abraham with
Isaac, a great and pious prophet as a second son.
This story can be found in the Qur'an. Abraham prayed: "My Lord! grant me (a son) of the righteous. So We gave him tidings of a gentle son(Ishmael). And when he was old enough to strive with him, he said: O my dear son, I have seen in a dream that I must sacrifice you. So look, what do you think? He said: O my father! Do that which you are commanded. Allah willing, you shall find me of the steadfast. Then, when they had both surrendered (to Allah), and he had placed him upon his forehead, We called unto him: O Abraham: You have (already) fulfilled the vision. Lo! thus do We reward the good. Lo! that verily was a clear test. Then We ransomed him with a tremendous victim. And We left for him among the later folk (the salutation):'Peace be unto Abraham!' Thus do We reward the good. Lo! he is one of Our believing slaves. And We gave him tidings of the birth of Isaac, a Prophet of the righteous. And We blessed him and Isaac. And of their seed are some who do good, and some who plainly wrong themselves. And We verily gave grace unto moses and Aaron, And saved them and their people from the great distress, And helped them so that they became the victors. And We gave them the clear Scripture And showed them the right path. And We left for them, among the later folk (the salutation): 'Peace be unto Moses and Aaron!' Lo! thus do We reward the good. Lo! they are two of our believing slaves."
The noble Qur'an in Al-Safat(37): 100-113
We notice that the major difference in the Qur'anic
and Biblical versions is that the Qur'an affirms that it was Ishmael
(The father of the Arabs) who was to be sacrificed, while the
Old Testament claims that Isaac (The father of the
Jews) was the one to be sacrificed. However, if we study the verse
of Genesis 22:2 we will find the words "thy son, thine
only [son]." Isaac was never Abraham's
only son. As we have seen, Ishmael was born before Isaac and remained
(according to the testimony of the Bible) the legitimate son of
Abraham until AFTER his death. As we have already proven,
the story of God's command to cast out Ishmael and his mother
due to Ishmael's alleged mockery is a fabrication. The only son
of Abraham who was ever Abraham's "only" son was Ishmael.
This was during the fourteen year period after the birth of Ishmael
but before the birth of Isaac. Notice how by changing this one
word from "Ishmael" to "Isaac" an entire branch
of Abraham's descendants (the Arabs) are conveniently excluded
from God's covenant and it becomes exclusive to
the Jews? Once Ishmael is reinstated as the one mentioned in Genesis
22:2 then the stories in the Bible begin to make sense once again.
In Encyclopedia Judica Jerusalem, volume 9,
under the heading "Ishmael," we read:
"It is related that a renowned traditionalist
of Jewish origin, from Qurayza tribe and another Jewish scholar
who converted to Islam, told Caliph Omar ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz (717-20)
that the Jews were well informed that Ismail (Ishmael) was the
one who was bound, but they concealed this out of jealousy."
"Verily, those who conceal that which Allah has sent down of the Book and purchase a small gain therewith, they eat into their bellies nothing but fire. Allah will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them, and theirs will be a painful torment."
The noble Qur'an, Al-Baqarah(2):174 "And (remember) when Abraham and Ishmael were raising the foundations of the House (the Ka'aba in Makkah), (praying): Our Lord! Accept from us (this service). Verily! You, only You, are the Hearer, the Knower. Our Lord! And make us submissive unto You and of our offspring a nation submissive unto You, and show us our ways of worship, and relent toward us. Verily! You, only You, are the Relenting, the Merciful. Our Lord! And send among them a messenger from among them who shall recite unto them Your verses, and shall instruct them in the Book and in wisdom and shall purify them. Verily! You, only You, are the Mighty, the Wise. And who desires other than the path of Abraham except he who befools himself? Truly, We chose him in this world, and Verily! In the Hereafter he shall be among the righteous. When his Lord said unto him: Surrender! (literally: Be a 'Muslim') he said: I have surrendered (Literally: I have become a 'Muslim') to the Lord of creation. The same did Abraham enjoin upon his sons, and also Jacob, (saying): O my sons! Verily! Allah hath chosen for you the (true) religion; therefore die not save as men who have surrendered (Literally: Have become 'Muslims'). Or were you witnesses when death came to Jacob? When he said unto his sons: What will you worship after me? They said: We shall worship your God and the God of your fathers, Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac, One God, and unto Him we have surrendered. That was a nation which has passed away. They shall receive the reward of that which they earned, and you of what you earned. And you will not be asked of what they used to do. And they say: Be Jews or Christians, then you will be rightly guided. Say: Nay, rather the religion of Abraham, the upright, and he did not associate partners (with Allah). Say: We believe in Allah and that which was revealed unto us and that which was revealed unto Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the twelve sons of Jacob, and that which was given to Moses and Jesus, and that which the Prophets received from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and unto Him we have surrendered. And if they believe in the like of that which you believe, then they are rightly guided. But if they turn away, then they are in discord, and Allah will suffice you against them. He is the Hearer, the Knower. The religion of Allah!, and which religion can be better than Allah's? and we are His worshippers. Say (unto the People of the Scripture): Do you dispute with us concerning Allah when He is our Lord and your Lord? Ours are our works and yours your works. And we are sincere in worship to Him(alone). Or do you say that Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the sons of Jacob were Jews or Christians? Say: Do you know best, or does Allah? And who is more unjust than he who hides the testimony which he has from Allah? And Allah is not unaware of what you do. That was a nation which has passed away. They shall receive the reward of that which they earned, and you of what you earned. And you will not be asked of what they used to do."
The noble Qur'an, Al-Baqarah(2):127-141
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